Ferrets: These animals are cute but require special care and discipline. They can bite. Unless you have experience with them you probably don't want to bring them into a young child's life.

Ferrets: These animals are cute but require special care and discipline. They can bite. Unless you have experience with them you probably don't want to bring them into a young child's life.

Photo: Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle

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Rottweiler: These dogs can be gentle and loyal, but also unpredictable. So you won't get much warning if it has had too much "play" time. <p>

Rottweiler: These dogs can be gentle and loyal, but also unpredictable. So you won't get much warning if it has had too much "play" time. <p>

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Bulldog: These dogs are sturdy and patient. I mean, seriously, look at him. <p>

Bulldog: These dogs are sturdy and patient. I mean, seriously, look at him. <p>

Photo: Charlie Neibergall / Associated Press

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Maine Coon: These cats keep their cool, even around rambunctious kids. <p>

Maine Coon: These cats keep their cool, even around rambunctious kids. <p>

Photo: Dave Ryan / Dave Ryan/The Enterprise

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Vizsla: These dogs are gentle and affectionate and easily trainable. <p>

Vizsla: These dogs are gentle and affectionate and easily trainable. <p>

Photo: David Hopper / For the Chronicle

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Golden Retriever: These dogs are adorable, but need a lot of exercise so they'll love families that love to play at the park. <p>

Golden Retriever: These dogs are adorable, but need a lot of exercise so they'll love families that love to play at the park. <p>

Photo: Eric Isselée / Eric Isselée - Fotolia

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Dalmatian: These dogs seem like they'd be great for families, but they're also prone to being deaf. And deaf dogs are prone to attack when startled. <p>

Dalmatian: These dogs seem like they'd be great for families, but they're also prone to being deaf. And deaf dogs are prone to attack when startled. <p>

Photo: Betty Tichich / Houston Chronicle

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Himalayan Persian: These cats are an indoor breed that bond well with families. <p>

Himalayan Persian: These cats are an indoor breed that bond well with families. <p>

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Ragdoll: These cats flop like a ragdoll when you pick them up. They like to play but are also gentle. <p>

Ragdoll: These cats flop like a ragdoll when you pick them up. They like to play but are also gentle. <p>

Photo: bhammett

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Chow Chow: These dogs are known to be bullies and kids are easy targets. <p>

Chow Chow: These dogs are known to be bullies and kids are easy targets. <p>

Photo: TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP/Getty Images

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Newfoundland: These dogs are big, but gentle and will be a good protector for kids. <p>

Newfoundland: These dogs are big, but gentle and will be a good protector for kids. <p>

Photo: Contributed Photo / Contributed Photo

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Bunnies: These pets are popular to give during Easter, but families need to realize they're a long-term commitment. Also, they're surprisingly fragile and can easily be broken by overeager kids. <p> less

Bunnies: These pets are popular to give during Easter, but families need to realize they're a long-term commitment. Also, they're surprisingly fragile and can easily be broken by overeager kids. ... more

Photo: Contributed Photo / Contributed Photo

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Snakes: This boy in Cambodia loves his pet python, but snakes and kids don't often mix. If you're going to get a snake make sure it's non-venomous. Then, wash your hands a lot. Snakes have been known to carry salmonella. <p> less

Snakes: This boy in Cambodia loves his pet python, but snakes and kids don't often mix. If you're going to get a snake make sure it's non-venomous. Then, wash your hands a lot. Snakes have been known to carry ... more

Photo: Heng Sinith / AP

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Hamsters: These seem like the traditional kid pet, but they sleep during the day, which means if you play with them too much while they're tired they'll bite. You'd be better off getting a rat. <p> less

Hamsters: These seem like the traditional kid pet, but they sleep during the day, which means if you play with them too much while they're tired they'll bite. You'd be better off getting a rat. ... more

Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg / Lindsay Niegelberg

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Pitbulls: These dogs have loyal fans, but are also likely to have been breed and trained for violence. Probably best to stay away.<p>

Pitbulls: These dogs have loyal fans, but are also likely to have been breed and trained for violence. Probably best to stay away.<p>

Photo: Erik Campos / MCT

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Best and worst pets for kids

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My daughter’s first venture into pet ownership has resulted in her mice birthing even more mice, which means we now have way too many mice. It was also a science project that I’m pretty sure she has aced, so it’s not too bad, but I’m looking forward to being done with it.

The experience has me researching good and bad pet ideas for kids. You can see the results of that research in the gallery above. Some of the ideas came from this blog post here, which had a pretty comprehensive list of breeds, especially cats, that I was unaware of.

What pets have worked for you and your kids? Your experiences in the comments below: